The Pontefract Liquorice Festival

The town of Pontefract provides a fantastic backdrop to the annual Liquorice festival. In this unique historic market town with a Norman Castle, you can catch the aroma of warm liquorice emanating from the town's sweet factories.



Pontefract Liquorice Festival is a delicious program of arts & heritage festivities suitable for all the family. Pomfretians welcome all for a fun, festive, tasty weekend of liquorice, music, mirth and merriment.

Liquorice Day Timetable - 13 July 11am- 5pm

The People’s Parade

The People's Parade this year features giant images of King Richard II on horseback and the liquorice dragon, accompanied by a host of local groups, some of whom have taken part in special parade making workshops with the Faceless Company.

The parade is led by a Kings School Samba Band, newly formed especially for this years liquorice festival, as well as the chair of Pontefract Liquorice Trust, the Mayor and Mayoress of Wakefield and the Deputy Leader of Wakefield Council, Denise Jeffery.

Throughout the Day:

Circus Skills, Table Top Craft Workshops & Facepainting

40+ craft & food stalls

Liquorice Trust Stall with Festival Gifts & Plants & Civic stall area

Liquorice Dalek & Exhibition upstairs in the Museum

Children's Activities & Photography Exhibition in the Library Inflatable Fun Zone on Beastfair

Liquorice Draft Beer at the Malt Shovel

and Liquorice Bush Pubs

Liquorice Lunch Menu at the Malt Shovel Pub

Guided tours of St. Giles Church from

12 noon, featuring Organ Recitals by Paul Dewhirst on recently refurbished 1893 JJ Bins Organ. Refreshments available.

Speciality foods,  Liquorice Bread, Ice cream, Herbal Remedies and Sweets Galore

11.00am - 11.30am        People's Parade & Speeches (Music Stage)

11.30am - 12.00pm        The Carletons - Wind/Jazz Band (Community Deck)

11.30am - 12.00pm        Wakefield Morris & Friends (P3)

11.30am - 12.00pm        Trevor Organ's Cracking Crockery (P4)

11.45am - 12.15pm        Creature Feature - The Gossips (Walkabout)

12.00pm - 13.00pm        Whalley Range All Stars - Pig (P1)

12.00pm - 12.30pm        Poppets Puppets (P6)

12.00pm - 12.30pm        Liquorice Talk (Library)

12.30pm - 13.00pm        Jazz Pazazz (Market Back)

12.30pm - 13.00pm        Fraser Hooper (P5)

12.30pm - 13.00pm        Artemis - Praying Mantas (Walkabout)

13.00pm - 13.30pm        Paperpushers (Music Stage)

13.00pm - 13.30pm        Black Eagles Acrobats (P2)

13.00pm - 13.30pm        Trevor Organ's Cracking Crockery (P4)

13.00pm - 13.30pm        Faceless - Green Man (Walkabout)

13.30pm - 14.00pm        Kings School Samba Band (Community Deck)

13.30pm - 14.00pm        Wakefield Morris & Friends (P3)

13.30pm - 14.00pm        Poppets Puppets (P6)

14.00pm - 15.00pm        Whalley Range All Stars - Pig (P1)

14.00pm - 14.30pm        Jazz Pazazz (Market Back)

14.00pm - 14.30pm        Creature Feature - The Gossips (Walkabout)

14.00pm - 14.30pm        Liquorice Talk (Library)

14.30pm - 14.45pm        Pontefract Vocal Tutor - Decade of Songs (Community Deck)

14.30pm - 15.00pm        Wakefield Morris (P3)

14.30pm - 15.00pm        Trevor Organ's Cracking Crockery (P4)

14.30pm - 15.00pm        Fraser Hooper (P5)

14.45pm - 15.15pm        Artemis - Praying Mantas (Walkabout)

15.00pm - 15.30pm        Widescreen (Music Stage)

15.00pm - 15.30pm        Black Eagles Acrobats (P2)

15.00pm - 15.30pm        Poppets Puppets (P6)

15.15pm - 15.30pm        Faceless -  Green Man (Walkabout)

15.30pm - 16.00pm        Jazz Pazazz (Market Back)

15.30pm - 16.00pm        Kings School - Songs and Dances from the Shows (Community Deck)

15.45pm - 16.45pm        Whalley Range All Stars - Pig (P1)

15.45pm - 16.15pm        Fraser Hooper (P5)

15.45pm - 16.15pm        Creature Feature The Gossips (Walkabout)

16.30pm - 17.00pm        Kava Kava (Music Stage)

17.00pm                           Festival Close